KUCHING: Samling Plywood Miri (SPM) took its job recruitment drive to another level by targeting individuals who have either raised the white flag or lost their jobs.
“We decided that instead of using the old method of recruitment, we would place job recruitment flyers at areas set up as food banks as well as at supermarkets, grocery stores and hypermarkets.
“We also distributed the flyers to religious leaders because we know many people who need help often turn to religious organisations. Additionally, we also used social media.
“This way, we are hoping to reach out to those truly in need of work and those who may have started to lose hope of ever finding another job,” said Samling Group senior HR manager Jason Chieng.
According to him, SPM was looking to hire 100 people for the post of production assistant, but received over 250 applications within a week.
He added that 84 of the applicants had been offered jobs after undergoing an interview and a tour of the SPM factory, and the company was still receiving applications for the remaining positions.
“The first batch of successful recruits reported for work on July 23.
“Another batch reported for duty on July 26 with a third batch expected to report in August.”
“SPM feels very privileged to have been able to help some of these families with jobs that will provide them long-term security.
“Due to the success of the first drive, we will be carrying out similar recruitment drives for our other mills in Miri and Bintulu.
“It is one thing to give a family a food basket, but we think we need to go beyond this and provide long-term sustenance for these families through the provision of stable jobs and incomes.”
SPM is a member of the Samling Group of Companies which has been operating in the district of Miri for over 50 years, and counts more than 6,000 people in its workforce.
Meanwhile, one of the successful applicants, Dora Anyi Jok, said she had been looking for a job for over five months, after being retrenched from an electronics factory in Johor Bahru.
“I returned to Miri to attend to some family matters and then the pandemic struck and I lost my job in Johor.
“It has been very difficult because I am a single mother. So I’m very grateful and thankful that I have finally been offered this job at SPM,” said the 53-year-old.
